Kathleen Houssels

I am the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Aspire Ten25, a firm that helps families build lasting legacies through impact investing, philanthropy, and community service. I believe that we can all use our resources to make a positive impact on our families, communities, and world. In addition to leading Aspire, I am an advocate and thought leader for “S” issues in ESG like fair treatment of workers and human rights. I serve on the advisory board of UC Berkeley’s Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk (CDAR) and UCLA’s MFE program. As a Chief Investment Officer, I have 20+ years of experience in global equities management, business strategy, data and quantitative analysis, fiduciary oversight, and change leadership. I am a results-oriented executive who scales for growth through deep experience in fundamental investing, sustainable investing, product development, and people leadership. I have extensive experience in enterprise transformation, with a demonstrated ability to lead through complex situations. As someone with the ability to see the big picture, build a vision, and ask the right questions, I bring a balanced approach to governance, strategic guidance, and risk management with meaningful encouragement, integrity, and discretion. I oversaw AXA Rosenberg Investment Management’s portfolio management as Chief Investment Officer with ~ 90 people, through 20+ years in growing responsibility with ~ $23B in assets under management – including global investment strategy and models, trading, research, ESG, across U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America. I led investment teams during rapid growth period from ~ $30B to $140B AUM, serving as thought leader on accounting and fundamental analysis, creating/presenting firm’s work and investment process to clients and prospects. Turned around and transformed research function and culture, aligning to the organization, while greatly reducing budget and investment system requirements – preserving and managing AUM of ~ $35B, playing key role in delivering new products, reducing budget ~ 50% and decreasing investment platform complexity ~70%.